UK‑Switzerland Deal Cuts Roaming Fees and Gives Britons E‑Gate Access

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:51:24 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Britons will no longer pay roaming charges in Switzerland and can now use e‑gates at Zurich, Geneva and Basel airports—benefits set to boost UK exports and travel.

The UK and Switzerland have signed a landmark services trade agreement that removes mobile roaming fees for UK visitors and opens automated e‑gates at Swiss airports. The pact is expected to raise UK exports to Switzerland by £5.2 bn annually and gives British professionals a 90‑day work‑without‑permit window. E‑gate access will start at Zurich airport by year‑end, with Geneva and Basel following shortly. This deal comes as the UK seeks to strengthen trade ties in a post‑Brexit era.

UK‑Switzerland Deal Cuts Roaming Fees and Gives Britons E‑Gate Access

The United Kingdom and Switzerland have now signed a comprehensive services trade agreement that will eliminate mobile roaming charges for UK visitors and allow British passport holders to use automated e‑gates at Zurich, Geneva and Basel airports for the first time.

Trade Secretary Peter Kyle called the pact "the most significant services trade deal the UK has ever negotiated." It upgrades a previously temporary 90‑day mobility accord by putting the framework on a permanent footing and is projected to boost UK exports to Switzerland by £5.2 bn per year in the long run.

In the new deal, UK employees can transfer to Switzerland for up to five years without the economic‑needs tests that were required before, allowing lawyers, accountants and architects to operate more freely. About 800,000 Britons visit Switzerland each year and the country already accounts for the UK’s sixth‑largest services export market.

E‑gate use will commence at Zurich airport toward the end of this year – Geneva and Basel are expected to announce roll‑out dates shortly. The arrangement differs from Switzerland’s upcoming Entry/Exit System (EES), which will enable UK citizens to use EU e‑gate technology once the system is active.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking in his final weeks before the leadership change, said the deal "makes life easier for travellers and firms and opens up opportunities for UK jobs and investment." Transport Secretary Micah Christie has highlighted the partnership with EU Commissioner Heidi Alexander to smooth EES checks ahead of the busy summer period.